The Forgotten Prayers
by SmileAwai
Summary: Beneath the surface of perfection is a world of torture and cruel words. Weave the lyrics of love to the tales of those who are set apart by fate and listen to the voices bathed in tears.
1. Segment 1: My Proof of Life-You

**The Forgotten Prayers**

_There exists good endings, such as that familiar story of Cinderella that you loved to hear when you were a child, where she finds her Prince Charming and lives '**happily ever after**', becoming a loved princess and having her wishes come true. As for the step-sisters, either they found their own princes and their role in Cinderella's life is over, or they meet an unfortunate ever after._

_But this has nothing to do with Cinderella and her picture-perfect story. This is where sadness and sorrow prevails. Where there are no hints of happiness, or the clich__é_ '**happily ever after**'.

_May there be tears, may there be smiles, may there be confusion._

_Perhaps someone can find an end to the never-ending misfortune. Perhaps, one day...  
_

_Inside a small bottle, maybe you'll find a message from the future, past or the present. Inside someone's heart, maybe you'll find love and honour._

_Everything begins small, but overtime, everything will grow old, and wither away. Just like a human, just like a flower._

_Every soul is reborn into something new, but something from the past is carried on. The soul, for one. There is always a story to tell, but no one is left to recount the great adventures.  
_

_It's a shame, really. There is nothing to laugh about, cry about or think about if you had no memories. Nothing._

_You see, memories and emotions make up part of who you are, and even if you believe you have none, you do. But acknowledging your emotions is like opening Pandora's Box. One day, you'll understand..._

_The Forgotten Prayers of all those who wishes for a new future._

* * *

**Segment 1: My Proof of Life-You  
**

_**"**The unspoken words are the most important.**"**_

He pranced around the ring, ebony hair fluttering as he jumped, and a number of laughs, cheers and claps echoed throughout the room. The jester bowed lowly, his amber eyes secretly glowering hatred at them.

Standing up straight again, he scuttled off the stage and immediately shook himself out of his colourful jester's outfit. Throwing it onto a crate at the side, he looked down at the floor, his broad jaw moving as he chewed on his lip.

"Raven." A toneless voice called, and the man turned towards the woman.

"Ara Haan." Raven said quietly.

"Have I not told you not to speak to me with my name? It is already disgraceful enough for me to be removed from my clan, and for it to be spoken by a man like you... heh." Her black hair swung over her shoulder as she leaned against a wall.

Raven chuckled, and Ara shot him a glare. "You are in no position to be finding this amusing. Do you not understand that under my command, your head can be severed at any given moment?" A sadistic smile grew on her face.

"I give no care for my life. I feel it is better for me to be dead, than to act as your tool."

Ara, having grown used to his comments, simply laughed.

"I see, then why don't you end your life, right here and now? Or are you afraid? You know, I am always here to kill you as well."

"Please. Suicide is a coward's way out." He turned his back to the woman, signalling the end of the conversation.

"Do you not remember our deal?" Ara took steps closer to the man, her candlelight eyes flashing with suppressed sadistic thoughts.

"..." Raven began to walk away, leaving the woman to shrug her shoulders and play with her blood-stained spear.

_That sick woman..._

Raven was now in the open, and Ara's words flooded his head.

_'This is a curse, where your arm becomes a metallic and demonic being. Left untreated and you'll soon succumb to it... Well? If you work for me, perhaps I can lift that curse off of you...'_

What was even worse about her, was the evil stare that burned through his eyes and into his heart. She saw what he wanted; to free himself from the curse.

However, with no leads as to how, he had no choice but to make the deal.

Sighing, he made his way round the the castle walls.

_All that the nobles can do nowadays is just sit on their fat asses and eat away all their money. _He thought bitterly, and sat himself down on the bench of the public garden.

There were hardly anybody around, only servants and maids tending to the flowers and cutting the grass.

The sky had cleared slightly, and sunlight managed to pick their way through the masses of clouds. It kissed his cheeks lightly, then everything else that surrounded him.

Raven, warmed by the sun, laid back against the chair and listened to the quiet songs of the birds.

* * *

"Oh Princess Rena, Princess Rena!" Said a confident girl. "Please, show us how you made your ears so long!" The girl began to laugh aloud, and Rena could simply stare in disgrace at her.

_How rude... but... then again, it's always been like this.  
_"Hey, at least show little reaction rather than just stare at us like a creep." The girl continued, and her friends began snickering louder.

Rena simply stood there, feigning loss of interest.

"Tch, you're no fun. Oh well, see you later, _long ears!_"

The elf let out a sigh as the girls disappeared round a corner, probably to catch a few guys they call 'hot' and start having fun with them. She reached a hand to the back of her head, gently grabbed half a section of her hair and brought it over her shoulder, stroking it.

Even the maids made fun of her ears.

She was used to it though. She got this kind of treatment since she became adopted into the royal family, and was told to be treated like a princess. Oh, yeah, like that was how you treat a princess.

She didn't care though.

"Ah, Princess Rena." A deep voice said, and Rena turned her head round, smiling at the man.

"Penensio, good morning. What can I help you with?"

"There is a performance in the audience room, and the King and Queen wishes for you to watch it alongside them. That is, only if you can."

"I will make an exception today, as I don't often spend time with father and mother. Is it now?"

"Yes, please come this way." Penensio held out a hand, and Rena took it as they went down the hallway, passing elaborate, marbled doors. She was used to wearing heels, and had no trouble in walking at the same pace as the man.

They entered through door similar to the others, except this door had more intricate decorations, such as gold linings and flowers carefully outlined.

A room in the shape of a circle greeted them, and Penensio let go of her delicate hand.

"You are seated in the left wing, mi'lady. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a session to attend to. Please enjoy the show."

"Thank you, I shall."

Rena quietly made her way to the left-wing, where a few people had already seated themselves. Her feathered dress gently swayed as she sat herself down in a secluded area, and waited patiently.

"Move." A man glared down at her, and looked as though he was about to spit on her. On his forehead were crease lines, and to add with it, he had his eyebrows furrowed. His lips were curled in and his hair was left messy.

"Pardon me sir..." Rena said quietly, immediately giving up her seat and moving towards a different one. Murmurs and whispers occurred behind her, but she ignored them and sat herself down in another secluded area, closer to the stage.

"Ladies and gentleman!" A man dressed in an odd outfit walked onto the stage, bowing low. He wore a hat, consisting of three horns lazily draping off his head and each side of his outfit were dyed in different colours. She also noted the shoe he wore; curving upwards at the toe. Smudged on his face was red painting, and his eyes were wide with excitement. "I present to you, the best show you have ever seen! Please, keep your eyes peeled and look forward to our spectacular performance!"

Waving his arms, a cloud of smoke blew up, and a number of jesters entered, performing a series of black flips, brown eyes flashing with amusement and smiles wider than needed. A few people laughed at their moronic expression, and Rena's shoulders twitched upwards slightly as laughter began to fill the room.

Jesters were picking up small sack balls and tossed them in the air, creating impossible airborne patterns and catching them. A few applauded, and more sack balls were juggled into the air. A few began to sing in unison, their voices screeching as they attempted to reach high notes. More laughter.

Rena's voice was hushed, and she couldn't even manage a smile. She just simply stared at the jesters and ignored the whispers of old women as they passed gossip amongst themselves, or any handsome men that they had spotted in the audience.

A few more jesters tumbled their way onto the stage of chaotic humour. Suddenly, something caught Rena's interest. Among the black, dull eyes of many jesters, something flashed golden, with long, beautiful eyelashes curving upwards elegantly.

She squinted slightly, and a man with sun-kissed skin flew across the stage, performing cartwheels and front flips followed by back flips. His tall figure stood out from the rest of the jesters, and despite his silly outfit, he gave out a strange aura which Rena found intimidating but also rather...

Gentle.

At that moment, she swore that his gaze had shifted towards her. Bold and challenging, but beautiful and flickering fire. That was how she would describe his eyes.

Looking away for a brief two seconds, she peered at him from the corner of her eye, and saw that he had turned his head away, walking off after giving a deep bow, barely out of breath despite having practically flown through the air just a minute ago.

Only when the amber-eyed man had left the stage that Rena realised she had been captivated by him... by his mysterious aura.

* * *

Rena sat under the protection of the forest. She felt close attachments to nature, and would always come here whenever she couldn't handle it anymore.

Wiping a few tears that some how made their way down her cheeks, she found herself overflowing with tears again. Her beautiful hair cascaded down her back and along her dress, decorated with feathers and ornaments.

Laughter was something she could never tolerate.

It is something that would flash her mind back to those teases and snickers of humans.

How cruel they could be. Their minds were clear of any innocent thoughts. Instead of thinking of freshly baked bread and sweets, they think of tasty meat, something Rena never liked to eat. Instead of running to their mothers for cuddles, they are running around either naked or drinking alcohol.

She gave out a quiet sob, and held a hand over her cherry lips, trying to hold it in.

Perhaps humans have given her nothing but tears. Perhaps humans have given her nothing but insults. But she should be much stronger than this.

Her mind wandered to the jester from the circus. He probably was no better than any other human she had ever encountered, save for her stepmother, stepfather and Penensio.

As her tears subsided, she brushed away any tear stains and attempted a smile.

No good. She tried again.

Instead of smiling, her lips would waver and something wet would tap at her cheeks again.

In the past, she was always able to smile without difficulty, feigning her happiness, when, as a matter of fact, her soul was about to break down from the effort.

Suddenly, the crunches of grass came from behind and Rena stiffened. She quickly whipped at the hot liquid and turned around, deep emerald eyes meeting sharp buttercup orbs.

Recognising the man, she jumped back slightly, surprised by his sudden appearance.

The jester before her looked much more handsome now that he had changed out of his outfit.

Rather than his multi-coloured hat, his head was clad in ebony hair, spiking gracefully and his eyes shrouded mysteriously by the dark wisps, with a patch of snowy hair sweeping across the right side of his face.

"You... are you crying?" The man crouched down, keeping a fair distance from her.

"Of course not. How did you find me?" Rena said slowly, and managed a smile.

"I was merely taking a walk through these woods, until I found you. What are you doing here?" She lowered her head, her chartreuse hair falling above her red-rimmed eyes with her smile still intact and readying for the worst.

"This forest calms my heart when I am in a state of confusion. Plus, it gives me some time alone, since this forest is so dense. But somehow, I can always find my way back..." She stopped abruptly, and the jester tilted his head. "_Home._"

She placed emphasis in the word 'home' unconsciously. The man shuffled off his kneeling position and sat down next to the elf, who hid her ears.

"Um..."

"What is it?" He sensed her hesitation.

"Do you not find me odd? I mean... these ears, don't they seem strange to you?"

"No. Why would I think that?"

Rena hesitated again, bringing her knees up to her abundant chest.

"You see, everyone makes fun of me because of my ears. Oh, that reminds me... you were really amazing on the stage. It was just amazing watching you do those acrobats."

"Thanks... Does that mean you are a princess?"

"Yes."

"I see... why did you think I would tease you as well?"

"My stepsisters have always pointed out my flaws, saying I was ugly, especially with these ears. They even spread rumours about me, and now even my maids have a fun time laughing at me."

"Is that so..." He said carefully, keeping his voice low. "You know, you and I are not so different." Rena looked up at him, and found his eyes staring straight into hers.

"W-what makes you say that?" She turned her head away quickly.

"I cannot tell you much, and I apologise for that."

"Ah, it is fine, I shouldn't dig too deep into your life story."

"Not that I mind. The only obstacle is a pact that I am bound to. "

Rena stood up suddenly, and the jester jerked his head up to look at her.

"I'm sorry, I have to leave." She said, hints of panic in her voice, and she took steps to leave.

"_Wait._" A warm hand closed around her petite wrist, and she turned around, tints of pink flashing on her cheeks. Her eyes kept wondering to a certain tree, and she attempted to loosen the grip the jester had on her wrist. "You haven't told me your name yet. My name is Raven, and be sure to remember it."

"I am...-" Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind and pulled out of the reach of Raven.

"Mister, this is the man! He was about to harass the Princess!" A girl clad in an over sized amethyst coat jumped up and down, acting innocent, her finger pointed rudely at Raven. She held a wand in her hand, and her pigtails whipped around the back of her head. The jester glared at the man who had a smirk across his face, knowing Rena couldn't catch sight of it.

"No one touches the Princess... especially not someone of low-class like you."

"So, you were hiding behind that tree, were you? How pitiful, not even knowing how to perform a correct ambush."

"You wouldn't attack me, not while I have the Princess." The stranger saw straight through the jester, who gritted his teeth. The young girl, around thirteen-years-old, waved her staff expertly, and couldn't help but grin as she binded the Princess to the ground.

"Hehe~ Stay still for a while, 'kay?" She giggled and sat next to the stilled princess.

The man who had pulled the Princess away readied his fist, and smirked at the jester.

"Prepare to die."

"Wait mister! You shouldn't kill him! He'll be a wonderful tool to me." The girl called, and went to giggling again.

"Pfft, how important is he?"

"Teehee~ You'll see! Soon enough..." The girl in pigtails' giggle turned into a low chuckle, which Raven found disturbing.

"Whatever..." The man lowered his fist, and snapped his finger instead.

"Got it. Time to send you to sleep, Mister Jester!" The girl jumped up and waved her wand in a crescent shape above her head, and clusters of glitter emerged from it.

Suddenly, Raven felt weak, and his legs began to buckle underneath him. His eyes began to close slowly but he still fought to stay conscious. Reaching out a hand to the Princess, who had fell unconscious due to the strong spell, he finally slumped down on the floor.

The man threw the chartreuse-haired girl on to his shoulder, and the girl trotted after him, giving no glances to the jester on the ground.

A silhouette emerged from behind a tree, a dark aura surrounding it menacingly. In its hand was a orb of condensed energy, with an image of Raven upon it. It mirrored the movements of the jester, and suddenly whips of darkness materialised from the foreboding, orange orb. The silhouette moved forward towards the man.

"Pitiful."

* * *

Jade green eyes snapped open, and followed it was a great deal of rustling.

_Where am I?!_ All she could remember was a girl with her staff, a man's arm dragging her away, and...

Raven.

How did she end up here? Where was Raven? What exactly happened?

"It seems you are awake. You have been asleep for almost a week." A voice sent her back to reality, and she peered around the fuzzy room, searching for the voice. She spotted Penensio sitting on a chair on the other end of the room, a thick book in hand.

"Penensio? What happened to me?" Rena asked quickly, and Penensio closed his book shut, looking meaningfully at the elf.

"You were brought in by two travelers who found you on the ground, unconscious."

Rena knew this wasn't all, but she could simply fit the puzzles together. Swinging herself out of bed, Penensio set the book back to its original place on the bookshelf and left the room.

_**Go to the lake.**_

* * *

"Seems like you were saved by me once again." A womanly voice said.

"Shut up. I didn't need you to save me..." Raven snapped back, growling lowly.

"If I didn't you would've been eaten by some kind of monster, and nobody would want that, right?"

"Nobody even cares if I'm still alive or not. Now, leave me alone." The jester picked himself off the makeshift bed, his eyes glancing down at his left arm.

"But you still want that curse gone." Ara hummed, reading his mind which earned her a scowl. She ignored it.

Raven hurriedly left the room Ara placed him in during his coma.

_That girl sure has some scary magic. I still can't believe she managed to knock me out for a whole week._

As he paced around the castle halls, a voice suddenly rung in his head. It ran a sharp pain through his skull, and he had to lean against a wall for support while clutching his head.

_**Go to the lake. She awaits you.**_

The voice was soon stilled, and he managed to regain his balance.

_The lake?_

Ruffling his hair, he swiftly left the castle behind him and felt as though a hand led him towards the lake. What was so important about the person who awaits him?

Crossing paths with people and finally reaching the forest, he spotted something was different. What was this mist?

The sky was completely completely covered in clouds, as they it was about to cry.

Now running, he dodged sharp tree branches, jumped over any tree roots and dashed through every bush that was in sight. Obtaining a few scratches here and there, he was nearing the lake. He could feel it.

The mist dissipated. The path he followed was now clear, and he felt as though nothing would stop him. Running through one last bush of leaves, he stood there, breathless.

There stood an elegant figure, with her back facing Raven. Her chartreuse ran down her back in a sheen of perfection, and it would always fall back in place when the wind danced with it.

Her winged dress, with no hints of wrinkles or creases, gave her the figure of a fallen angel.

The figure turned away from the lake, staring her emerald eyes into him.

Her porcelain skin, pale but tinted a shade of strawberry while her cherry lips curved into a bright and gentle smile.

"Raven." Her sweet voice said.

The sky above was now devoid of clouds.

Cautiously, he took large steps to the elf. The lake was now a mirror for the sun to look into, and it was enough to blind him slightly from the beauty before him.

"Will I be able to see you again, just like now?" She said quietly.

"...Yeah." He answered, equally quiet.

They were now silent, their eyes staring into the lake. Raven could suddenly feel Rena's stare on him, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Please, tell me about yourself."

"Me? Well, my name is... Rena."

* * *

A dark spirit orb floated in the hands of Ara. She has watched Raven and Rena via this menacing ball of energy for the last two weeks. They two seem to have caught her interest, and now she has done nothing else but watch what they do.

_I wonder how this will end? I'm intrigued to know... But I must be patient..._ Ara itched to see the result of the curse as well, but it was hard suppressing those sadistic thoughts.

Rena and Raven, on the other hand, grew to know each other further, always meeting at the same lake.

"That's your wish?" Rena asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah. D'you think it's weird?"

"No, just... unique."

"Personally, I think having unique wishes aren't too bad."

"If you say so~" She said playfully, and played with a piece of his white hair. "Your hair is growing a bit long."

"It's fine, if I cut it, it won't be good for my performances."

"Well, you are the expert on that. But you wouldn't want to end up looking like a girl, right?"

"Never." Raven said firmly, and Rena chuckled lightly.

"I have to go back now, before Penensio shouts at me again." Raven suddenly winced, and Rena blinked. "Are you alright?"

"Ung... Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. See you tomorrow." Leaving the jester alone, Rena glanced back once, her face written with worry.

Raven clutched his cursed arm, and gritted his teeth.

It didn't usually hurt this much. His head began to pulse with pain as well as his arm, and the lake before him grew blurry, until it became a mist of the unknown.

_W-what is... this pain...?_

"Penensio, I have returned." Rena spoke up to the man who stood in front of her door.

"Welcome back Princess Rena. I see you have returned safely." His voice contained relief, and the elf couldn't help but smile.

"I am sorry for making you worry. I will be resting for tonight." Nodding, Penensio left her.

* * *

"Are you sure it's time?" A man asked.

"Yep~ The curse I placed upon that jester and play tool of mine is working just fine, and it's almost complete~"

"Heh, you haven't changed have you Aisha?" Ara smirked, the spirit orb in her hand reflecting the events between Raven and Rena.

"And I never will! Wow, I can't believe that you actually agreed to help me with this though Ara~ Well, anyways, I've managed to speak to their minds to get them together the best I can! So, not all the credit goes to you Ara~! Man, you don't know how much magic it takes just to put my voices into them!"

"Well I never said it was, but I am looking forward to what's going to happen next." The two laughed, with the man frowning ever so slightly.

_In the next world, perhaps... they'll lead a fortunate life._

* * *

By the time Rena had arrived at the lake, Raven had already sat there, waiting for her. Sneaking up behind him, she noticed he had his head in his hands and a pained expression on his face.

"Raven? Are you alright?!" She immediately ran up to him, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Rena... W-w-what a-are you doing h-here...?" He said slowly, as though getting the words out was difficult.

"Don't you remember? We agreed to see each other today..." Rena trailed off when the glow in his beautiful eyes were gone, and his face had grown malicious.

"I-I..." He closed his darkened eyes, and buried his sun kissed face into his right hand. "What is wrong with me?"

The Princess sat down next to him, just like she usually does, hand still on his shoulder and looking into his face worriedly. She daren't speak, and instead waited for him to speak.

"Who... am I?" Raven said, staring dully into his hand.

Rena's eyes widened at this, and all she could do was stare. She never expected these words.

"Raven... you-"

"Who are you?" His voice became flat, and his glare was intense.

All she could do was cover her mouth with her hand, and let tears trail down her cheeks. He was no longer the Raven she knew. What had happened to him over the night? She removed her hand from his broad shoulders, and closed her eyes.

_**Run wild!  
**_

Raven's lips twitched upon hearing the insane voice ring in his head. He smirked at the elf beside him, and brandished a sword that she hadn't noticed was at his side.

He stood up, swaying from left and right, his smirk widening as his crazed eyes darted from place to place. Anywhere but the figure of Rena. She stood up as well, tears staining her red cheeks. She wiped them away quickly before continuously calling out his name, but he wouldn't wake up.

Raven raised his blade, and stared at it amusingly. In his eyes were only blood, corpses and limbs spread throughout his feet.

The elf began to shake his strong body, but he would only start to swing his weapon at the air. His movements grew wild, and Rena pulled him into her gentle arms to suppress him. He struggled, and let out an enraged roar attempting to punch away the 'chains' that restrained him.

The tears could no longer be held in. But she no longer cared.

Suddenly, something cold ran through her body, and only numbness. Her arms didn't fail her though, and she continued to hold the jester in her arms. The man who acted like a child, throwing a tantrum.

He unexpectedly stopped.

"Rena...?" Raven drawl was against her ear, and his warm breath brushed against her neck.

"...Yes?" She said weakly, the power in her being drained. A hot liquid touched her skin and stained her green dress an hideous colour of blood.

"Did I... do this to you?" He looked down at the blade that was embedded into Rena's abdomen.

"It's alright." She breathed, mustering all the strength she had to pull the blade out with one hand. Latching onto Raven's strong shoulder, she felt light-headed, and felt air rush through her exposed back as she fell.

Arms enclosed her waist, and she felt herself, though faintly, being placed against a warm chest. She could hear a heartbeat, pulsating quickly.

The world around her began to fade into a bright light, and all she that she could see now was Raven.

"Goodbye... Raven..."

No answer came. Rena smiled, and the image of Raven began to smile as well.

_Bdmp. Bdmp.. Bdmp... ..._

Raven took a sharp intake of breath, and let out a yell, filled with sorrow and pain.

He embraced her tighter, trying to find the warmth he had never been able to hold onto, trying to find her sweet voice against his ear. Burying his face into her soft threads of hair, he sobbed into it, trying to ignore the pain in his head and arm, as well as the stinging agony in his heart.

Letting her limp body go slightly so he could see her peaceful, smiling face. He caressed her soft cheek, and pinched it a few times. If only she would react, with her pouting face and honey-sweet laugh.

"It's too late now. I can't tell you now..."

Picking her up into his arms, he held her dearly, scared that she'll break easily. Scared that she'll die again.

_He walked towards the lake, and stared into Rena's face one more time, before sinking into the bottom of the sea of their memories._

* * *

Sometimes, if you follow a kind voice through the forest, you'll find a place similar to what you would call 'heaven'. There, you will find the bodies of two, who, despite their wishes, are torn apart. The cruelty of humanity acted as the threshold of their cursed fate.

The prayers of the jester reached the ears of destiny, and now their bodies rest in their world, where the flowers represent his every prayer.

Her head, rested against his motionless chest, his strong arms wrapped around as a serene smile remains on her features. For eternity.

_"I wish... for the world to smile upon you, Rena."_

_"I love you."_


	2. Segment 2: The Fading World

**Warning:** Graphic moments. Rated T for this purpose.

* * *

**Segment 2: The Fading World**

_"Open your eyes to the beautiful land before you." _

The scent of blood, sounds of gunshots, and the thud of something heavy.

A lone boy stood up straight among the motionless corpses that adorned the entire room, his cluster of sandy, light honey-coloured hair swaying gently and his cornflower blue eyes remaining unfazed. He spun a pistol skillfully around his hand, clearly relaxed despite the eerie scene before him. There were around four bodies laying on the floor, drowning in their own blood. They had a simple bullet to the head, but not much else.

The boy grimaced as he gripped his arm, where blood was slowly seeping out. He ignored the wound and pulled up the hood of his brown cloak over his hair, tucking away his deadly weapon as he climbed out a window, and landed with a soft thud outside the vexing building.

Walking away casually to meet civilization again, he noted the screams of panic occurring behind his back. Staring vacantly at the path he walked, he dodged every person he crossed paths with, and made his way to the usual tree he sat under when he had no missions to take care of.

The town he currently rested in was small, but he never stood out amongst the crowd in his cloak due to his quick maneuvering through every crowd he meets. He lives his life as an assassin, following his father's every order like the very dog he is.

He crossed a short boy wearing glasses with an anxious face, stuttering as he handed out 'Wanted' leaflets.

"P-please tell u-us when you s-spot any of th-these people!" He blurted. Chung sighed under his breath and turned the corner, the short boy's stuttering voice trailing away.

He stood on a few stone steps, walked past a few children playing a game of tag in the grass park and traversed to a quiet spot in the park, where nobody would pay attention to him.

Sitting himself down under his usual tree, he carefully adjusted his cloak and stretched his legs out before him, arms placed behind him and head leaned back slightly. Shaking his head, the hood fell backwards to reveal soft locks of sandy-coloured hair. He tugged on a strand of hair that was noticeable; naturally dyed in a chocolate tone, it faintly represented animal ears.

Pulling his hood up again, he began to look at his surroundings. Women strolled through the park with their children, hand in hand, with only one woman standing alone amidst them all. She supported her large stomach, which stuck out in the most round shape, and he figured that she was expecting. A few teenagers soon surrounded the woman, curious as to how it felt like to be pregnant.

A number of trees stood quietly behind everything else, the wisdom acquired over their years evident by the number of leaves they revealed.

A jolt of pain ran through his arm, and he winced. Rolling up his sleeve, the boy inspected a bloody wound, and sighed as he leaned back against the trunk of the ancient tree.

"Are you hurt?" A soft voice came from above. Surprised, the boy jerked his head up, catching sight of a figure perched upon a branch. Specks of sunlight shimmered through the gaps created by the green, summer leaves and shrouded the identity of the figure.

Shielding his eyes briefly from the dazzling light, the figure jumped from the branch.

Landing gracefully beside him, long and luscious silver hair arched up into temporary wings as air rushed through every strand of hair, before falling back elegantly on their back. The assassin looked up. Stunning, quiet golden eyes met oceanic, vacant paw-printed eyes.

She crouched down, knees touching the grass as she extended a hand to his wound. Shuffling his arm away defensively, the girl cocked her head to the side questioningly, as though she didn't find anything odd about her actions.

Looking into her innocent, empty eyes with his hooded eyes, he shrugged lightly to himself and held out his arm. Holding it gently, she began to bandage his wound skillfully but carefully.

They sat in silence as she quickly tended to his wound. The assassin would sneak glances at her porcelain skin, to be met with mysterious expressions.

The girl placed the arm next to him and stood up. Brushing down her white summer dress, she turned to leave, her silver hair trailing behind her.

"Thank you."

She looked over her slim shoulder at the boy, and nodded, before setting off.

The assassin stared after her, and blinked slowly as he stared at his bandaged arm.

_Nobody has ever helped me like that before... I need to show my appreciation. But will she be here again tomorrow?_

* * *

Murderer.

Heartless monster.

Cruel, merciless beast.

Those were his nicknames. Chung, an assassin going by the alias Lacher.

Working for his father, murdering and assassinating one after another, with no other choices.

_With no other purpose in life._

All he wants is something to look forward to, but all he does have is mission after mission. However, there is something that he prizes. The gifts his mother gave him on his fifteenth birthday, before she passed away. Before he became an assassin.

It was two drones, one white and one black, specifically made for him. Created with elaborate blue gems that reflected his very own, and energized wings to act as a hovering-support device, he had adored it greatly, but now that he had grown to the young adult he is, he has grown tired of playing with them.

The assassin has them in his arms now. They transmitted codes and data through their system, installing information about the scenery before them, then beeped with every file download completion.

Placing them down, Chung, or rather, Lacher, leaned against the very same trunk that he had met the girl. She wasn't anywhere to be seen.

He put a hand on his stomach. Perhaps she wasn't going to come today. Maybe it was just coincidence. But that coincidence pretty much stopped him from dying of blood loss, seeing as he has no experience in treating wounds.

"It's you again." A familiar voice said. He peered behind him, to see the girl emerge from behind the tree.

"Yes. I would like to thank you again for yesterday." He said monotonously.

"You are welcome, however I only did what a normal person would do." She chose the words very carefully, but Lacher continued.

"Here. I want you to have these." He removed his hand from his abdomen and scooped the droids into his hand. The girl pressed herself against the tree, afraid of what he was going to give her.

"These are..." She began to stare into the smooth plates of the droids, and sat herself down near him, thin legs curled underneath her.

"They are presents from my late mother, but I no longer need them. Please, take them as a token of my appreciation."

"Thank you." She reached out and tapped them lightly. The drones hovered into the air drowsily, and the girl's hand came into contact with the boy's. For a second, the warmth of their hands connected, before the girl pulled her hand away shyly.

"They are named Shira and Kuro." He explained briefly. She whispered their names quietly as she pulled them into her arms and admired the intricate, unfamiliar shapes with tranquil eyes.

"Shira and Kuro..." She said, her gaze peeling away from the present she had just received. "May I know your name as well?"

"My name..." He hesitated, debating whether to give her his real name, or alias. "...is Lacher." He concluded.

"Nice to meet you, Lacher. I am Eve."

She turned her head back round to the gift. Lacher inspected her, to find bruises under the strap around her shoulder, and few others on her legs, hidden by her dress. They were concealed well, just not well enough.

However, he decided not to ask her about it. Instead, he decided that he'll leave this girl alone.

Before she gets killed by him.

Anyway, it wasn't any of his business, so why should he care? He adjusted the hood on his cloak, making sure he had hidden his eyes.

"Lacher."

"Yeah?"

"Will I see you tomorrow?"

Her question threw him off balance. "Perhaps." He replied coldly.

An awkward silence.

The girl didn't reply, and instead continued staring at Shira and Kuro.

"I see." She finally said, and rubbed her arm nervously, where a faint bruise had formed. Lacher remained quiet, and stared at the grey sky above them with empty eyes.

The girl was incredibly reserved, but that suited him fine. He wasn't much of a social person either, having hardly conversed with anybody.

"If you can make it... please come tomorrow." She murmured, shuffling from her seated position and continuing to rub warmth into her arms as Shira and Kuro encircled her. They were still unfamiliar with Eve, and was uncertain as to how they should act towards this stranger. "Also... thank you for the gift."

With that, she walked away, taking slow, small steps.

Lacher was also unsure of how to act around the quiet girl. He leaned back and closed his eyes.

He had hardly gotten any rest since the last few days due to the missions. He was demanded to accomplish them at midnight, but it starting to take a toll on him. However, this was to take care of the 'bad guys' his mother had told him about, and the innocent are allowed to rest peacefully during the sleepless nights with the criminals gone.

Or so his father thought. Lacher had already complained, explaining his beliefs, but his father merely had him punished for defying him.

_You ungrateful child. I have given you food to fill your stomach, clothes on your back and a roof over your head. What else could you possibly wish for? The role you play is enough to repay my generosity._

Those were his words, and Lacher hadn't talked to him since. It wasn't that he didn't want to, it's just that, he didn't know how to. How was he supposed to reply to such a father?

A vision of his beautiful mother flashed through his mind, and he could still hear her words.

_I love you, Chung. No matter what road you take, you will always be the little boy I have and will always love. Be strong._

Chung. That was his name. The name he was blessed with. How he missed being called by this name. But he is forced to be called upon as Lacher. How he hated that name. The very name that acts as his mask.

* * *

The sky had cleared entirely since yesterday, and Lacher sighed as he crossed the park for the third time that week as well as wearing the same cloak. A few people had given him odd stares due to his odd attire during summer, but no one questioned him.

He wasn't expecting anything. Really, he wasn't. But he thought that he should at least live up to someone's expectations. When he reached the same ancient tree, there was no one in sight.

To be honest, he wasn't expecting her to appear. He just came to relax.

"You came." The girl said, her calm voice coming from above. Her hands were pressed against the tree trunk nervously, and she jumped down from the tree. Landing with only a soft thud, she grimaced as her leg buckled slightly, but enough to rid her of her balance. She fell backwards, and Lacher jumped forward.

His arm wrapped around her waist with ease. He immediately helped her up and stood back, but not before having a smell of her fragrance.

Well, he couldn't help it, seeing as they were in body contact.

"Thank you again." She murmured, tilting her head. "Do you... have someone?"

What does she mean by that?

"If you mean by a lover, then no."

"No, no... do you have someone who is always nearby you?" Her voice was distant. He thought carefully about it, then shook his head.

"My mother passed away a few years ago, leaving me with my father. However... well, let us leave it at that."

"I see." She sat down, bringing her knees up, and patted the space next to her vaguely. He slowly joined her to view the park, using a leg as an arm rest, with the other stretched out before him. "I am the same, except both of them are deceased."

He looked at her wrist to find a new bruise there, and another on her knee and neck.

"May I ask how you got those bruises?" The moment he said that was the moment he wanted to smack himself. He had planned not to ask her, but he couldn't help it.

"...These?" She looked at her wrist and legs, and gave an expression showing that she hadn't noticed earlier. "They must have been when I was attacked again."

"Again?"

"Supposedly, there is someone who wishes to kill me. I do not know why."

"..." A sudden suspicion rose in Lacher's heart, and he doubted his father.

_Would he really...?_

"It is quite alright though. I am sure no one would really mind if I am to be gone from this world."

He remained quiet, and the girl turned to him, poking him on the shoulder. "I have to leave. I am sorry if I ended up forcing you to come." She stood up and left quickly, her long silver hair fluttering behind her. She turned round to an alleyway, but still remained in sight.

Without him noticing, the clouds have gathered. He stood to take his leave, but saw something he hadn't expected to see. At least, not at this time of the hour.

A few men had surrounded a short girl, who he recognised as Eve.

He took large steps with his long legs towards them and barged between Eve and the men, causing them to lose the grip they had on her wrist, and gave them a cold expression. "Leave her alone."

"Pah! Boy, don't even think to act tough! Look at you! So scrawny! And wazzup with that getup?!" The tallest one pointed a finger at his chest, and poked it vigorously.

Without hesitation, Lacher grabbed the finger and twisted it, causing the man to crouch down and scream. He then grabbed his elbow and placed it just below his head, and the rest of the gang backed away.

"Let our b-boss g-go, you p-punk!" They shouted, but didn't make a move, afraid they'd meet the same outcome.

Lacher ignored them, twisted the arm further by a few notches. The man began to groan, and he sounded like he enjoyed the pain.

The assassin scowled in disgust. Even his minions had begun to back away even more.

An ear piercing scream escaped from the boss' lips. _Crack._ He obviously couldn't withstand this amount of pain enough to feel erotic. Lacher then grabbed his head and other working arm, then locked the arm's bicep with his own and placed a foot on the man's cheek, pushing it as his head began to come further and further away from its original position.

"You guys better promise not to mess with this girl again, otherwise I'll snap his neck." He threatened with tone that showed he didn't care what happened to his victim.

The whispered to each other, and then nodded quickly.

"We promise! Now, let the boss go!" They even bowed down, and Lacher released the man in his arms, kicking him harshly in the shin and stomach.

"Get out of my sight."

They hurriedly picked their boss up and threw him over their shoulders, then ran, tripping over a few times on the uneven, cobbled floor.

Lacher stood in silence, his back still turned to Eve.

"I am sorry you had to see that." He finally said, and Eve grabbed his cloak. His hood had fallen during the encounter and revealed his honey-tinted hair as well as his paw-printed eyes.

"Why did you help me?"

Lacher stared down at the ground. Why, he wondered. "You didn't have to save me... I could've saved myself..."

"No... you wouldn't." He told her quietly. "What business did they have with you?"

"They... said that they wanted... money. Money that my parents owe them."

Lacher looked over his shoulder at her. She was looking at anything but him, her eyes doubtful.

"Eve." He turned towards her, and walked towards her. She looked up in surprise, and backed away before hitting the wall. He placed a hand on the wall behind her, and slouched over, golden locks concealing his eyes. "Tell me the truth."

The girl placed her hands on her chest as she whimpered inaudibly.

"I..."

He looked up at her, his eyes filled with slight worry. This sent a surprised expression to Eve's features, and she tilted her head.

"They told me... they want my eyes."

"Your eyes?"

"Yes. These eyes... are cursed according to the old tales of this town, but now people believe... they are equal to gold." He looked down at her shoulders to see her quivering in silence. He removed his hand away from the wall, and turned away.

"Humans are despicable." He said under his breath, and looked up. The sun still shines upon them nevertheless.

"I suggest you not to get anymore caught up in this."

"No."

"Pardon?"

"I'll protect you."

"But..."

"No matter what."

"Lacher...!"

"No. Matter. What."

Eve sighed, and poked him on the arm.

"You are incredibly stubborn."

"I cannot stick right next to you all the time though. Shira and Kuro have combat functions installed in them. Keep them with you."

"Uhm..."

"Yes?"

"Thank you, again." She looked up at him, her hair brushing against the cobbled floors. Her lips flashed into a soft smile, and Lacher couldn't hold back from putting a hand to his lips in surprise.

Unaware of her smile's effect on him, she cocked her head to the side at his reaction. "What is it?"

He removed his hand slowly, and pulled her gently into a hug.

She struggled slightly, but his strong arms kept her in his embrace, and after some futile struggling, she relaxed herself against his warm body. His sweet scent. His calm heartbeat.

His breath tickled her neck and she could feel him practically picking her up, due to their difference in height.

"Lacher."

"..."

She sighed quietly and abided, her legs picking off the floor and his face nuzzled into her silky locks. She pushed her palms against his chest, and peered into his face confusingly. He stared back, and set her down, hiding his blush behind his hand.

"Sorry. I couldn't restrain myself..."

"It is fine. I... um... _felt safe in your... arms..._" She trailed off.

"Huh?"

"N-nothing."

* * *

"S-spare me! Please, I beg of you! I-I'll give you all the money I have! H-heheh, tell me how much you want, and I'll give you it! Just please, show mercy!"

Demeaning, oceanic eyes bored through the begging man, and devoid of hesitation, he pulled the trigger.

_Thud. _A life, gone just like that. Without delay, and painlessly. The eyes of the assassin upturned to the night sky, and became flooded with doubt.

**Was he truly doing the right thing?**

Lacher spun the pistol in his hand and pocketed it, then pulled his hood up. There was nothing else he could do, apart from kill and kill, night after night. When will he find a day where he can just live for his own reason?

Throwing the body over his shoulder, he reached a secluded forest and threw the corpse into a bush, and simply left it there to perish.

_Mission accomplished._ He thought, and hurriedly ran back to his client.

His client sat on a bench in the town square, reading a book filled with complicated charts and instructions on jewellery. Lacher approached him, and leaned on the back of the bench.

"Is it done?" His client asked in a hushed tone.

"Yes."

"Indeed, you are a skilled assassin. I will pay you handsomely."

"Save that money for my father. I need not your money."

"...Very well." He snapped the book shut, and stood, flipping back his purple, curly hair with a hand decorated by rings made from rubies, sapphires and gold. "I shall take my leave. Oh, and one more thing."

"What may it be?"

"What is your purpose in life?"

"To kill and work for my father."

"Is that all though?"

"You ask meaningless questions. Take your leave and we will pretend we never met."

"Farewell then. May we meet again."

The purple-haired jewellery crafter disappeared into a crowd of women, and Lacher made his way to a certain alleyway.

Crossing a few collapsing buildings and dodging past desperate merchants, he was met with a large gang of thugs in a completely empty part of town. Probably where they trade drugs.

"Heh, can't believe you actually came."

"State what business you have with me, and do it honestly. You would not want to get on the bad side of me."

"I see, I see." The man with the broken arm smirked evilly, a cigarette jammed between his dark lips. "Well, all I want is..."

A few stepped up with knives pointed at him. "Payback."

Lacher lowered his head as alarms sounded in his head.

"I think you might wanna check on your girlfriend as well... she's probably in biiiiig trouble."

He looked up in surprise, and frowned, not willing to take the bait. Wait. _She isn't even his girlfriend!_ "I did you a favour though by bringing her here with me." Stepping away, he revealed a certain silver-haired girl, crouched in a corner with bruises along her porcelain skin. "I still haven't taken the honour of taking her eyes out yet though! Hah! You should be glad. I wanted you to see your girlfriend suffer."

Lacher's heart thumped against his chest. He didn't want to do this.

But there is no other way to escape with Eve at this rate.

"**Give her back.**"

He produced a pistol from underneath his cloak and knocked a few thugs to the side, knocking them out with a simple blow from his elbow. Aiming his pistol at the abdomens of a few of them, he brandished a second pistol and shot. A few began to charge blindly at him, thrusting their blades wildly. He sweeped his leg underneath them and they fell down on the stone floor. He pointed one pistol at point blank towards one who came up behind him and shot, without a care as to where he shot.

The boss of the group scowled as he held his broken arm. Another wave of them charged towards him, oblivious to the incoming danger. Lacher glared menacingly at them and rolled forward, shooting a frenzy of bullets to stop them from injuring him. They fell, one on top of the other. He then twisted around, his breath in control, and pointed the pistol straight at the boss' nose.

"Dead end. Hand her over."

Groans of pain came from the thugs behind him, but Lacher paid no attention to them.

"Kill me, like you killed them. I dare you. But you can't do it, can you? You are just a little kid, acting all hero." The man challenged, and Lacher glowered at him.

Seeing this chance, he swung a leg at him, but the assassin dodged successfully, and grabbed the leg in his iron grip, then twisted it, causing the man to twirl in the air before landing face flat on the floor.

"No matter how much you try, you won't beat me."

"WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT!" He shouted, and shuffling came from behind. Alerted, Lacher turned around, but he was too late. A hand covered his mouth, and two pairs of arms locked him in place. He was forced down to his knees, and his head was pushed down harshly.

The boss stood up, as though nothing had happened.

"Now, to extract the eyes of gold~" He said sadistically, and crouched down next to Eve before grabbing her delicate jaw and forcing her to look at him. She stared dully at him, and he brought out a hand to slap her face. "Don't give me that look, you're supposed to look happy when I'm around."

Eve ignored his order, and simply sat there. Lacher could see her hand reaching behind her slowly.

"And don't ignore me, either. Want to see your boyfriend there become quartered right here, right now?"

A flash of black and white whipped across his face, and Eve stood back as Shira and Kuro sprung into action, their eyes flashing a light red.

**BATTLE MODE ACTIVATED. COMMANDS: ANNIHILATE ALL AGGRESSIVE TARGETS. METHODS: HIGH-POWERED ENERGY RELEASES [FLASHES]. COMMENCING COMMANDS. -INSTALLING-... ACTIVATING CODE: 00.666.01.  
**

The two droids hovered drowsily, before disappearing and producing bright flashes of light, burned the eyes of the victims effectively. Eve hid her eyes from the horrid sight of eyes melting away as they screamed in pain. The melted substance began rolling down their eyes, and slight traces of blood mingled with the mixture.

Men dropped dead one by one, their hollow eyes sending a few nauseous feelings to Lacher's gut. He picked himself up and dusted himself down, before strolling towards Eve.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes..."

"Why didn't you use those droids to protect yourself earlier...?"

"This may seem like an excuse to you, but I didn't have the time to."

Lacher sighed.

She looked towards the corpses, and grimaced, her head jerking to the side.

"Don't look." He wrapped an arm around her and put her face against his chest.

"I'm so sorry." She whimpered.

"It's fine."

"What... what will we do with the bodies?"

"Leave them."

"But..."

"They won't be found. Nobody ever comes to this place anyways."

* * *

Eve rubbed her cheek gently, the place she had been slapped, while Lacher bandaged the rest of her injuries under their tree.

"I'm sorry Lacher."

"It's fine." He had repeated this line many times to reassure her that she had done nothing wrong, but she just wouldn't stop apologising.

"Even if you say it is fine, I am still... sorry." Her hand fell on her lap, and she lowered her head in guilt.

He cupped her face between his hands, and gently forced her to look at him in the eye.

"Why must you insist on apologising so profusely?"

"Because... I was the reason why you ended killing them."

"But I was willing to do it."

"If I had not gotten in trouble, you would never have had to do that."

"I told you I would protect you." He whispered against her ear.

"Even so... I don't want to become dependent on you." She shivered as his warm breath tickled her neck.

"I will not just stand aside and watch you become harmed." His hands slipped away from her face, and he placed them on either side of her.

"Lacher... you are so kind, yet... I am not sure how to word this..." Eve felt his head rest against her shoulder. "You are... important to me..."

He leaned backwards as Eve pressed a hand to his chest. Tears stung at her gracious eyes, and his eyes widened.

"I will not allow an important person of mine face danger for my sake..."

"Eve." He wiped a stray tear away, and closed his arms around her shoulders, embracing her dearly. "You are the only one I want to protect. There is no one else who is more worth protecting than you to me. Let me be selfish. Perhaps... there is nothing else for me to do, than be by your side."

She remained quiet in his arms, her arms trapped between them both.

"If... there is a way for me to pay you back..."

"I don't need you to do that." He mumbled softly. "Just... let me stay like this a little longer."

* * *

Eve had fallen asleep against the tree trunk as the sun began to give way for the moon. He couldn't help but stare into her face.

Her lips were plump and naturally a shade of pink, and thick, grey eyelashes-

He face palmed, but managed to sneak another look at her features from between his gloved fingers. What has he been doing up till now?! He couldn't figure out what caused him to act in such a way... like hugging her... and...

Something bumped against the hand that rested on top of his knee, and he looked down to see Shira perched upon his wrist, and Kuro rolling around on the grass weakly. Their eyes were flashed alarmingly, and he picked them up in his hands to inspect them.

"It must've been that code they installed..." Their eyes began to dim, and their movements became limp as their energy ran out.

"Lacher...?" Eve stirred, and shuffled quietly.

"I have to go fix Shira and Kuro... they are starting to run low on energy."

"I'll wait..." She said drowsily. He nodded at her.

"This shouldn't take too long." Standing, he rushed off with the drones in hand.

_It's probably that code that was activated... I'll need to uninstall it without deleting any of the other files._

Eve watched as his tall, slim figure disappeared. She sighed, and pulled her knees up to her chest as she breathed calmly.

"I wonder how long he'll be?" Muttering to herself as she maneuvered her palm over the soft blades of grass dreamily.

A dark figure stood behind the tree, and a small smirk was spread across its face.

"I have you now..."

* * *

Lacher rushed around his workshop for a good ten minutes, and took another twenty minutes just trying to fix up the drones.

He sped through the doors and towards the park, eager to see Eve safe. _In his arms._

Immediately shaking that thought out of his head, he rounded trees and avoided crashing into the elderly who were out for an evening stroll.

He was nearing the tree. The park had become completely empty, with the exceptions of trees whispering to one another, birds singing lullabies for the sky and strays leaves willingly being blown away.

He jumped over the small hill that he often crossed, and he could see Eve on the ground.

**But she wasn't alone.**

Panicking, he grabbed a pistol, and approached them carefully before his eyes widened in horror, dropping the drones on the grass.

The cloaked man had a club in his hand, and he could see an insane smile plastered across his face. There, on his club, was blood, dried since long ago, and a dagger fitted snugly in his other hand. Lying on the floor, was Eve. Crimson fluid ran across her face from her forehead, where an injury pulsated with blood. Her eyes were closed tightly, and her mouth hung slightly open.

What caused her the most pain, though, was the mortal wound on her chest. Blood stained her pale skin and summer dress. Her hand was placed on her left rib, and she struggled to breath.

"You're here... ahahaha... Your father sent me." The boss of the thugs said, chuckling. "You know... losing my right eye isn't exactly that pleasant..." He pulled away a thick strand of shaggy brown hair, to reveal a hollow eye, gazing into his cerulean ones.

"You... BASTARD!" Lacher let out a roar as he charged at the man, pointing his weapon straight at him.

He laughed manically at his uncontrolled rage, and waved his club and dagger around in the air.

"YES! Let me hear your voice again...!" He shouted, his chest left open to be struck.

Without thinking, Lacher thrusted the pistol straight to the heart, and pulled on the trigger.

The crack of the gun going off ripped through the air, then silence. Blood splattered across Lacher's face, but none of that made him flinch.

The man slumped to the floor next to Eve's, his life finally taken from him. Lacher quickly kicked the body away and rolled quickly down the hill, but he could care less.

"Eve... Eve!" He said frantically as he spun round to find Eve's eyes still closed. A small cut had occurred underneath her right eye, something he hadn't noticed a few seconds ago.

"Lacher...?" She whispered weakly.

"I'm here." He put an arm under her shoulder and pushed her up slightly, so her body could be rested against him.

"W-where...?" She spat blood from her lips, and stained his cloak further.

"I'm so sorry. I should not have left you...! I should never have... left you alone..." He managed to croak.

"But... I'm not alone... anymore." Snuggling against him, he grabbed her cold hand, now running cold.

"Shh... don't say anymore."

"Th-..ank you." Her breath began to become uneven as her eyes remained closed.

Tears touched his eyes, and he struggled to hold them back.

"I'll go get help."

"No... don't go." She squeezed his hand tightly, and her eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Her beautiful, golden eyes, piercing through his. Looking into his soul, and finding that one thing he had feared: loss. "I have... something to... tell you."

"But..."

She placed a shaking finger on his lips, silencing him.

"Shh... I have to say what... I want to, before... I forget. Do you remember that time, when... you told me you were keen on protecting me?" A smile formed on her blood-stained lips. "I believed you. But, I knew things would end this way... one day."

"Wh-what are you saying? Why do you have to word it like that?"

"I really enjoyed those days with you. Though... it was short, I'm glad... I met you."

_No, please..._

"You saved me so many times... from loneliness..."

_Please, don't do this to me..._

"...from pain..."

_...Why does this have to happen?_

"Lacher..." Her fingers brushed against his cheek, and she stroked it gently.

_I promised to protect you...__!_

"I love you..."

Foreign tears rained onto Eve's cheeks.

"Eve..." He pulled her into a tighter embrace, sobbing against her. "I love you too..."

"Lacher..." She repeated. "I... can't see you..."

Her fingers fell from his face.

"_It's so dark... Lacher..."_

Her final words were mere whispers, and all Lacher could do was hold onto the last bits of her warmth._  
_

_Why did you have to leave me?_

Of all the words she could have said, her last word became his fake name. He was never able to tell her his real name._  
_

Chung.


	3. Segment 3: Prophecy of Destiny

**Segment 3: Prophecy of Destiny**

_"To defy destiny is to have hope for a miracle."_

Charcoal stoned cave walls and vines unraveling themselves from the bank of a great stream of water. A pillar of dusty light kissed the floor of the dark cave from the heavens, and seated at the heart of the darkness was a majestic being enveloped with scales of the night, far removed from watchful eyes. The wings it rested brushed against the cold hard floor lightly and swayed gently as an unwelcome wind entered the premises.

"O, great dragon... Heed my call." A voice echoed across the desolate cave, and the beautifully curved neck of the dragon slowly raised in response to the voice.

"**Speak. What is it that you seek, human?**" Its deep voice rolled gently, and the pillar of light brightened in response.

"I am the Mistress of the Shadows, Speka, and I am here today to ask for your help." The woman was clad in strange clothing, her purple hair hidden underneath a witch's hat, a lace wrapping around it delicately and forming a ribbon at the back, a violet wrinkled tube top with a black waist belt with a matching skirt to fit, striped fingerless gloves the colour of darkness, and knee-high boots with purple laces curled at the top of the boot and acting as shoelaces. She bowed, and silky purple hair that stretched to her waist slipped over her shoulder in two loose braids. Her heels created distinct noises as she placed her legs forward. Looking up again, she pushed her black-rimmed glasses higher up on her nose bridge.**  
**

"**Tell me your conditions and I will consider it****.**" The dragon placed one clawed hand on top of the other with dignity.

"This child..." The woman reached behind her and pulled out a tiny baby, cradling it delicately. "...will have the power of foresight, weaving the future to the present, intertwining the past to the future and connecting souls to the very Earth bestowed upon her by you. That is, after all, what she is destined to do."

"**Your child will be robbed of her freedom and bring upon misfortune to those she meets, and to suffer for eternity.**"

"I understand, but I feel that is for the best. Her very existence is cursed either way."

"**Hmph. Foolish human, are you sure about this?**" The dragon drawled, its crimson eyes gentle but sharp, a sense of wisdom flowing through the elegant colour.

"Yes... please, do this quickly, before I change my mind."

"**Very well.**" Lifting its head higher, its eyes began to gleam a blood red, staring straight into the purple-haired woman. Her amethyst eyes reflected the dragon's, and streams of bloody tears ran down her cheeks. She looked down at her child once more, before collapsing to the floor.

The baby began to squeal quietly in its mother's weak arms, glowing a faint blue, and the dragon closed its eyes.

"**When will the day come where these humans will learn...?**" It mumbled, and lazily rested its head on the cold floor. "**Elsword...**"

A short redhead, no more than four-years-old, stuck his head out from behind a slippery rock close to the river. He remained silent as he climbed up the ladder of rocks towards the dragon.

His short hair flared out in a number of directions as he clumsily made his way up, and struggled to walk.

"**Are you able to take this baby to the village...?**" The dragon nodded towards the baby on the floor.

"Yep yep! Count on me!" The young boy jumped up and down as he ran towards it. Scooping it into his arms, he stared into the porcelain skin of the baby, before skipping away and out of the cave.

"**...**" The elegant creature looked towards the woman, who is now rested against a rock limply. "**Another ****failure...**" It mumbled as it held out an elongated claw to the woman, and sprinkled a mysterious dust upon her, merging with the rock. "**Rest in peace, along with your beauty.**"

* * *

"Good night." A deep voice said.

"**...**" The dragon blinked its old eyes slowly at the boy before closing completely. "**Seek**** the Princess of Prophecies.**"

"Just sleep, old guy." A blur of red hair rushed past as the deep breaths of the dragon ceased. "Rest in eternal peace, O great dragon." The voice muttered. The taps of footsteps echoed across the desolate cave, before trailing off as it turned into the sounds of splashing water.

"Princess of Prophecies? Gee, thanks for the information. How am I supposed to find her if I don't even know what she looks like?" The boy said to himself in a gruff voice. He crossed the stream and jumped over rocks which had weathered away through the years.

Finally, he is able to set out to the world on his own, away from the cave he had spent most of his life in.

The boy stepped out of the darkness, and revealed himself to the bright world. He spread his arms out and yawned.

He was blessed with vibrant, spiky crimson hair that extended down to his mid-back, with streaks of ebony running through the his thick threads of hair.

He lazily slicked his hair back as it fell back in place over his eye. His body was well toned, and his arms appeared strong enough to pick up a sword greater than his body.

His ruby eyes looked up to the sky, scouting every cloud there was. A wind pushed back his wild mane of hair, and he gulped down the air, before jumping down rocky steps nimbly to begin his quest.

* * *

_An empty plate, an empty family. Their food run scarce, but thieves still dare to raid their poverty.__  
_

_The sea runs dry, but the laughter still continue to flow as a couple walks hand in hand.  
_

_A widow stands alone at the edge of sanity, her husband is left to wander the battlefields.  
_

_No longer a burden, a pool of blood flows from the heart of despair._

Aisha looked up from the small, tattered book she wrote in as she heard a bird soar to the sky, strong wings carrying them high.

She gripped the quill in her hand tightly as the bird joined the heavens. She sighed lightly, before turning her head back down to the beautiful scenery before her, which she had already grown accustomed to throughout the years.

No matter how much she wished to sprout her own wings to see the world beyond where she belonged, that day won't come. The forest acts as a barrier that is unbreakable. She has tried walking through the thick trees, but she would always end up back at where she started.

Voices from the future and past speak to her, but the questions she asks receive no answers. Who is she? What is her purpose? Why must she see so far into the future? Who are her parents?

So far, the only things she can remember of her past is distinguishable voices.

_"This child ...will have the power of foresight, weaving the future to the present, intertwining the past to the future and connecting souls to the very Earth bestowed upon her by you. That is, after all, what she is destined to do."_

_"**Your child will be robbed of her freedom and bring upon misfortune to those she meets, and to suffer for eternity.**"_

Aisha has pondered over those words. Is she to remain this way until the very end of time? Does this mean... she is nothing, but a marionette being played with? Who was it that decided this horrible destiny for her?

She rubbed at her eyes as her stomach growled quietly. Perhaps she could catch another fish in the river.

The forest had grown thicker through the years she had stared at them. The grass always swayed along with them, and flower patches were dotted throughout her forlorn sanctuary.

Aisha sat on the largest patch she could find, the lavender dress she wore billowing beneath her. She enjoyed the company the flowers gave her. Not that they spoke to her; it was more of the fragrance that she loved.

She closed the thick, wrinkly book with a loud thud, and pierced the quill through the opening in the binding.

Sunshine showered through the large opening within the forest, and Aisha watched as the scenery brightened, just as it would during this season. The flowers glowed a brighter shade of its soft colour, and trees sang a cheerful shade of green, rather than the colour of moss. A river flowed from one end of the tufts of trees to the other, sparkles glistening from it as it danced across the pure water that reflected the sky itself.

The scene was absolutely breathtaking. No matter how many times Aisha has stared at it, it never failed to impress her.

Resting her collection of predictions on her lap, she wondered just when will she be able to venture the world. It is beyond her wildest dreams, but it is something she is curious about.

What do other humans look like in the present? Are they completely different from their future counterparts? Did they speak the same language? Do they eat the same, cook the same and live the same?

She twirled her finger around a spiky, violet pigtail. They were tied high on her head with two indigo ribbons, and she had left strands of hair to flow freely across her face.

As a sign of boredom, Aisha began to trace the outlines of patterns on the ancient book. It bore the image of a bat, with a fat body and small wings to carry it around. What was most disturbing about the book was the olden tongue that was written all over the book. She couldn't make out a single word it said, but rather than pondering over it, she ignored the strange writing.

Letting slip a girly sigh, she fell down on her back, resting her legs forward and closed her eyes, tiredness overcoming her.

* * *

_**Blazing eyes, fiery hair. He who governs the legendary scabbard, the Conwell, bears a dark and heavy heart.**  
_

_A sword was plunged deep into the soil of the Earth, with thin traces of blood trickling down the sharp blade and tainting the amber patterns engraved upon it red. The elegant curve of the weapon became dirtied with mud, no longer the pure white it used to be._

_A blur of flashing, bloody eyes and dirty crimson hair stood amongst the chaos. Corpses were piled high, either burnt and their identities disintegrated to nothing or cut open with organs hanging from their wounds and bloodied to the point they are no longer recognisable.  
_

_The barren land contained no traces of any survivors, apart from the very beast that slaughtered every person in sight. He ran a shaky, dyed hand through the hints of black of his hair, before falling to the ground and crouching over a girl who reflected his face, with hair and eyes as bright and red as his._

_A small bird wrapped in a bright light stood out amongst them all, its gaze rested upon the boy._

* * *

Suddenly, Aisha flew upwards from her nap, and flipped open the ancient book on her lap as she scribbled down her dream quickly, trying to identify where the dream originated from.

"The future perhaps...?" She whispered to herself, as she described everything she could remember. The hideous state of the corpses, the certain girl the beast had crouched over, and the beast himself.

Tickling her chin with the quill, she snapped the book shut once again.

She saw a bright flash from the corner of her eye, and she tilted her head to see what it was. The same bird from her vision was perched on the smallest flower patch there was, and it chirped. It was enveloped in beautiful red feathers which trailed into black, its underbelly a snowy white and their tail the colour of charcoal. Its body was curved elegantly as well as its beak, dyed in a swirl of white and black.

Slowly, she stood up with difficulty, swaying left and right, admiring the beautiful bird. She had never seen nothing like it. The bright colours of its feathers stood even brighter than the sun, and she swore she could see a pulsating glow from it. The bird flapped its wings, rising into the air, before setting off towards the forest.

With as much strength she could muster, she took shaky steps to the direction the bird went.

Its glow still in sight, she quickened her pace until she was running. Reaching out an arm, she ran through the small gap the thick amount of trees offered to seek out where the bird was taking her.

She ducked under branches that hung low, and pushed away leaves that fell on her face. She ignored the buzzing of bees and wasps, and instead attempted to reach for the bird that fluttered away from her, taking her to a place completely foreign to her.

A brighter flash of light met her eyes, and she shielded herself from the light with her arms.

Slowly removing her arms as she became adjusted to it, Aisha looked up in surprise at what she saw. Instead of meeting the same patch of flowers, she was met with a strange array of buildings twisted into a circle, and a number of strangers staring at her before continuing on their way.

A scent that contained anything but flowers filled her nose, and she felt her heart thump quickly. The bird that led her here had rested itself on a certain redhead's shoulder. The redhead, on the other hand, was oblivious to the presence of the bird.

Aisha's eyes widened at the sight of the boy. He was the one from her vision.

The beast.

In panic, she turned, and ran away before the beast could take notice of her.

Why did she follow the bird? The boy's red hair with black streaks running along it greatly resembled the bird's feathers. Why hadn't she noticed earlier?

Having been so focused on running and getting away from the beast, Aisha realised she was lost in this strange place. She turned corners randomly and walked past strangely dressed people. She would occasionally turn her head round to peer at them again, and try to pick out words the people say.

As she reached a tightly packed area of the buildings, she realised there were nobody around. Panicking again, she turned the corner again, before meeting a dead end.

"Phew, ya finally came 'ere!" A gruff voice said.

Aisha jerked her head around, to come face-to-face with a balding man. She shrieked, and jumped backwards as she sensed danger.

"Now then, if ya wanna get out a' 'ere alive an' pure, ya better hand o'er ya money!" The man shouted, and produced a pocket knife from behind his back.

"Uhm..." Aisha hesitated, unsure of what to do. She gripped onto the hem of her lavender dress, as she shuffled further away.

"Oi! Come o'er 'ere boys!" The old man beckoned to the shadows behind him, and she noticed they all held smirks on their faces.

Alerted, she opened her eyes wide and took one more step back, before hitting the wall behind her.

"Shall we search through 'er?" A teen said, bringing up a yellowing hand.

"Do whate'r ya want ya punks! Just as long as I get me money!" He waved a wielded hand violently in the air, and the teens surrounding him fist bumped the air.

"What's with the commotion?" A voice stood out amongst the exaggerated cheers, and they all fell deathly silent. Aisha lifted her head, strands of hair from her spiky pigtails falling over her shoulders. "I thought I already taught you guys to leave the girls around here alone."

A flash of red came from the bright light, and loud thuds could be heard as boys began to fall one by one on the floor. The old man turned left and right as he noticed the gang being brought to the ground by a series of punches, a hint of anxiety on his wrinkled face.

"Wh-a' are ya punks doin', bein' beaten up so easily?!" He swung his pocket knife around, hoping to catch the assailant with his random swings.

"Not today, not ever, are you going to harm anyone on my watch."

Aisha hadn't even blinked twice times, before every one of the teens, including the old man, had fallen to the ground. She caught sight of black and red clashing against each other as the same beast from her dream stood before her.

"You don't seem to be hurt. That's good." He said quickly, before turning around.

"U-uhm... Thank you!" Aisha blurted, and he looked at her over his shoulder. "W-would you be kind as to tell me your name?"

"My name? It's Elsword." He smirked brightly, and held out a hand. "What's yours?"

"I'm..." She pursed her lips together, the hand she reached out stopping just inches away from his. The boy tilted his head in confusion, a trail of long hair flowing alongside the movement of his head. "Aisha." She finished.

The boy nodded, and gently grabbed her small hand in his. A slight shock trailed up her arm, and they both pulled their hands back instinctively.

"Wha-?" Her surroundings suddenly became a blur, and she felt her legs buckle beneath her as she fell upon the cold floor.

"A-Aisha?!" Those were the last words she heard before passing out.

* * *

_**Aisha... The Princess of Prophecies.**  
_

_Who...?_

**_I am the one who placed upon you the ability of sight and visions._**

_So, you are the cause of-_

**_I do not have much time left... Please, listen._**

_Alright._

**_My voice has been placed upon you, but I am no longer alive. My soul disappeared two years ago, and your destiny has now been set out before you ever since._**

_Why do you tell me this now?  
_

**_It is all my fault you are burdened in this way. Since the day I died, a certain 'someone' has searched for you to no end. I believe to the two of you can reverse the damned destiny placed upon you.  
_**

_A certain... someone? Damned destiny? Please, tell me who it is!_

**_...I'm sorry for having to do this, but...  
_**

**_..._**

* * *

"Please, tell me!"

Aisha flew up from her unconscious state, her arm threw forward as she reached for something she could never hold onto.

She wiped away a few stray drops of sweat on her forehead, and spun her head around the room. Walls dyed in a light blue, the furniture remained sparse and a thin piece of white cloth acted as the curtains, making no effort to block out the sunlight that set footprints upon the polished wooden floor.

When she swung her legs off the bedside, she noted the distance between her feet and the floor. Sighing, Aisha quietly tiptoed to the door while ignoring the throbbing pain in her temples. Her mind wandered to a particular redhead. Where was he? Did he bring her here?

She pushed open the door as slowly as she could, and almost tripped over her feet as she failed to walk. Frowning softly as the pain grew frequent, she pressed herself against the wall for support as she made her way down the stairs.

Her vision was blurry, and she couldn't make out where she was. Not that she would be able to.

"Aisha?"

The purple-head jumped round, to find a person's chest standing dangerously close to her.

Suppressing a shriek by covering her lips, she lifted her head up at the ridiculously tall figure. Crimson eyes stared into lavender ones, and she stepped backwards before recognising him as Elsword.

"Are you alright now?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed worriedly.

"I'm fine... sort of." She added after an after thought.

"You got me all worked up when you collapsed yesterday. Don't do it again, okay?"

"Sorry... say, where are we?"

"A tavern. I lent you the room I was staying in, since I'm going to continue on my travels starting in the next two days or so anyways."

"Did you say... travels?" Aisha's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Uhm... can I ask what the reasons behind your travels are?"

"Huh? Well..." A sense of hesitation flooded his face, before he smirked confidently at her. "Are you interested in me?"

Aisha's face flushed red, and she struggled to give him an answer. Elsword chuckled. "It's no big deal, I'm just on a search." He gave a shrug.

The purple-head gave a soft smile at the concept of travel, before a sharp pain in her head disrupted her.

"Oi, you alright?" Elsword stretched his arms out, afraid that she'll topple over.

"Nngh... I'm fine." She clutched her head tightly. The pain slowly subsided, and she managed to regain her posture.

Elsword sighed, and patted her head affectionately. She looked at him confusingly, and he replied with a happy grin.

* * *

"So, you're about to set off again?"

"Yeah. I'll be back one day, except I don't know when that'll be."

"Hmph." The woman folded her arms. "I don't see the point in looking for that girl of yours. You probably don't even know what she looks like."

"...I don't. But I believe in the old guy."

"Get your ass back here at record time, and not a second late. I don't want to have to deal with everything here while you're gone."

"Heh. No worries, I'll be back."

"But you can't really promise us that, can you? I know what you're like."

"..."

* * *

Aisha took slow steps through the thick forest, ignoring everything that surrounded her. The dull ache in her pain took away all other objectives in her head, and all she could think about was her calming sanctuary.

Hoping to reach it soon, she swayed slightly and placed a hand on her forehead to keep it forward. It illuminated an abnormal heat.

_Is this what they call a fever...?_

She neared her usual flower patch. The same brown weathered book sat atop the flowers, and she sighed in relief as she slumped down next to it. The sun warmed her fevered body further, and she rested her tired eyes under the old sky, with a certain redhead in mind.

* * *

**_"Where are you? I can't find you anywhere... no matter how much I search. How long has it been since this all began...?"_**

* * *

The boy breathed out and a white cloud formed in the air.

Elsword looked at the darkening sky with heavy eyes, and struggled to keep them open. His body felt heavy as lead and it took effort to move it, as if trying to keep awake wasn't hard enough.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets and warming his breath in his scarf, he thought of how long it's been since he left the home in search for the Princess of Prophecies. By now, he's lost sight of the reason why he even trusted the old guy and went on this little adventure.

It's been at least one year since he left the village, and three years since the old guy died.

He dragged his feet along the snow-clad ground, creating slight crunching sounds with each step.

His breathing began to grow irregular as the mist of snow settled on his cheeks and lashes, and his body began to grow heavier than before.

The thought of resting on a comfortable bed and drinking the delicious hot tomato soup Stella would make him on rough days were relaxing.

_And the feeling of soft, violet hair and staring into calming eyes of the same colour._

He rubbed at his eyes with a cold hand. A bright flash of light caught his eye, and when he raised his head to peer at it, the light became a part of the snowy Earth.

A speck of red and black rested in the blankness of it all, and he squinted to see it fly away.

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to run. Snow flooded his shoe and the cold substance melted and stung at his feet, but he still continued to run.

His lungs burned as he filled them with winter air.

His legs ached with every step he took.

But still, he continued to run.

The bird reached a forest, devoid of any snow. Having never noticed the forest, he hurried to see where he would end up as he walked deeper into the mass of trees.

* * *

_Whispers of the future, screams of the past. In life, there is death. In death, there is life. Humans die by the hands of humans, or punished by the hand of diseases.  
_

_Die in the arms of your loved one to relieve yourself of any regret._

_Destiny cannot be averted._

**_It is time to wake up from your slumber, to write out the final pages of life. No longer can you remain in your one year long coma.  
_**

* * *

Lavender eyes flickered alive, and a girl buried underneath layers of baby pink and yellow stirred.

Sitting up, spiky violet hair tied into unruly pigtails trailed down her shoulder in long tresses. She lifted her head high to look towards the sky, petals and leaves tumbling off her body.

She felt her head as a familiar feeling of pain rang through her head. She rested her cheek against her shoulder and looked down to search for her book, now concealed in thick layers of flower petals.

Aisha brushed away the mask of petals, and picked up the thick, tattered book, which had grown even older since the last time she touched it. She stared dully at the designs, before tossing the book away and hugging her body.

Her eyes were heavy, her body felt as though it could break apart any moment and her heart felt like someone had pierced a spear through it.

Tucking her legs up, she closed her eyes briefly to listen to the same river running across her sanctuary. The trees had grown taller since she last saw them, and a few flowers had wilted around her.

The sound of leaves rustling caught her attention, and, drowsily turning her head to see the cause of the distraction, her eyes grew wide and she quickly backed away as a silhouette.

Suddenly, everything became white. Aisha fell backwards, and remained stiff on the ground.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Elsword hovered closer to the figure that scuttled away before planting itself on the ground. He pinched his cheeks as means to wake himself up.

Every step he took felt as though he walked on fire. Gritting his teeth, he flung the scarf around his neck away and abandoned it and subconsciously ran a hand through the patch of jet black hair to ease the light-headed feeling in his head.

He had never seen anything like this place. It appeared like paradise, with the flowers and fresh grass, the luscious green trees and the sparkling river that mimicked the one in the cave. There were no snow, nothing to indicate that winter had fallen upon them. Just the clear blue sky.

The closer to the figure he got, the more he could make out the structure of it. It was a girl... with purple hair.

Aisha?

Crouching down, he studied her face carefully. She was indeed Aisha. He could only make out her hair and chubby cheeks, but who else had hair as purple as hers? She hasn't changed since the day they last saw each other, but what was she doing out here?

Something was definitely wrong though. She was completely still. No signs of breathing.

Immediately pursing his lips, Elsword leaned over Aisha and placed both his arms on either side of her to find any signs of being alive. His heart began to pound with worry and he completely ignored the aches and signals throughout his body.

Her face was peaceful. A slight smile touched her lips.

Suddenly, her eyes flew open.

"Elsword?" She said weakly.

He sighed with a mixture of relief and worry; relief that she's alive, worried about her well being. His arms failed him, and he slumped down against her. He closed his eyes to enjoy the moment.

"H-hey... you're heavy." She murmured against his ear, and he nuzzled against her.

"And you're really warm, despite being half-dead just a second ago."

"Hmph..."

Her palms pushed against his broad shoulders, and he refused to rise. "I can't breath..."

Reluctantly, he pushed himself up with shaky arms. When he opened his eyes, her lavender eyes were staring intently into his fiery orbs, their faces dangerously close.

She was tempting.

Leaning slowly closer towards her, he stopped when the thought of his search for a certain girl came to mind. Aisha had also placed a finger on his lips, and she gave a smile, more than a little forced.

Elsword grinned, and took her small hands into his bigger hands, and lightly planted a kiss on it. A calming silence fell upon them as they sat face-to-face.

"Why are you here?" He asked curiously, breaking the silence.

"Hm? Oh, I haven't told you before, have I?"

"Considering how we've only seen each other for two or three days, no."

"Huh, really? I've seen you-" Aisha stopped herself, and Elsword tilted his head.

"You've seen me...?"

"Uhm..." She mumbled awkwardly.

"Go on, you can finish that sentence, don't leave a guy hanging." His curiosity was getting the better of him.

"I- uh, I mean... ehem." She took a deep breath, and one corner of her lips twitched upwards. "Well, you see... don't judge me, but I've had... some kind of dreams about you."

"Hmm? What kind of dreams?" Elsword adopted a teasing tone.

"Visions of the future." She said bluntly.

"Wait... the future? Ow..." He rubbed at his temples as a thought came to mind, and his will to tease faded. The future... prophecies... "You're... you can see the future?"

"Basically, yes. But you probably don't believe me."

"Well, if dragons exist, which they do, then I can believe you..." He trailed off.

Aisha inched towards his face and studied him with vacant eyes. "Could you be... the Princess of Prophecies?!" He concluded after a while, and Aisha's eyes widened.

"Uhm... yes, how did you know?" She replied quietly.

Elsword felt his head spin. The Princess of Prophecies... had always been Aisha? and he had met her one year ago?

He felt laughter of self-mocking boil in his heart, but instead he smirked, and sighed.

"Ah... I can't believe... after all these years, the one I've been searching for..." He cupped his hands on Aisha's face, and his sharp crimson eyes and smirk softened into a smile. "...is sitting right in front of me."

Aisha felt her face heat up and add to her dizziness.

"Huh...?" A shock flew up to her head the moment their skin touched, causing her to wince, and everything turned white once again.

_**I'm sorry for having to do this, but I will place upon you two... the disease of fate.**_

Light-headed, she fell against Elsword, who struggled to keep her balanced. He, too, was exhausted.

He held her closer as her body felt heavier.

"Aisha?" He whispered into her ear tiredly.

She remained silent.

Slowly, he wrapped his muscular arms around her slim body and held her gently.

"Hey... answer me. Stop pretending to be dead all the time..."

Her shoulders shuffled upwards slightly and she gave a muffled giggle.

Behind his red hair, Aisha spied a small, glowing bird watching them quietly.

"Elsword. I see now..."

"See what?"

"Our destiny... Perhaps... we were destined to meet, from the very the day we were born..." She pushed him away again, to peer at his face with fevered eyes.

The flowers remained silent.

A smile danced on their lips, and Aisha closed her eyes slowly. "I wonder why we can only have this much time together..."

She forced back tears that was mixed with a number of her feelings. "Destiny separated me from you for so long..."

Aisha felt her body fall against him. "I wish we had more time..."

"Don't fall asleep again... hehe... how many times has it been?" He chuckled humourlessly.

"Maybe we couldn't reverse our cursed destiny... but we can be together... at last..."

"Aisha..." He gritted his teeth as his body gave in, and his body met the ground, with Aisha lying limp in his arms.

He closed his eyes. Finally, he could rest. Finally, he could end everything. Finally... his quest has come to an end.

"I'll stay with you... forever..."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Yay~ I finally finished this chapter!

I actually had everything planned, except I couldn't be asked to finish this off properly... The ending may seem a little rushed, but I left it like that on purpose, for you to decide upon what happens and what has happened.

If you guys want, I could re-write it, but I think it will be left the way it is.

To be honest, you can decide what the classes are in the end, although I did leave quite a load of hints of what classes they are... especially Chung.

Well anyways, it's either that I close the curtains to this series of one-shots or you guys make a request and I'll decide whether to make another chapter. If you do decide to leave behind a request, just tell me what plot, couple, classes if you want and whatever else you can think of. I'll appreciate it if it's detailed, but a simple plot will be sufficient enough and I'll take it from there.

Whether you cried, laughed, or... I don't know, I hope you liked the adventure I took you through with me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Elsword or any of the characters.


End file.
